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Whether you’ve got days to prepare or minutes, this blog has your look covered for Halloween style inspiration!

There is a TONNE of great Halloween looks out there, from gruesome to simply chic. I’ve been prowling round the web* in the dead of the night to find some favourites, for those who have days to prepare their costume to those who have decided to go out last minute on All Hallows’ Eve…

Dreadful Amounts of Time

If you live for the 31st of October and plan a year in advance then there’s some scarily fantastic and unique ideas for Halloween costumes and makeup. Take a look at some of my favourites…

The Dísir are spirits described as “dead women” in grand attire who visit dreams in Norse mythology.

Dispel the myth of the typical all black-clad vampire and be a beautifully terrifying Vampire Queen.

Be a pretty creepy doll in an ornate, girly dress contrasted against stark, scary makeup.

Limbo

If you’ve got a day or two to spare before Halloween and you’ve got plans for a spooky bash then it’s all about organisation! Decide on a few looks and what you would need to get from your nearest shops to achieve them. I say ‘a few looks’ because most good Halloween costumes mysteriously disappear the day before All Hallows’ Eve. Here are some amazing ideas that you can achieve with little preparation.

A creative hand and plenty of blue costume makeup will have all eyes on this uniquely creepy look.

Lady Gaga mastered the sexy skeleton look in her ‘Born This Way’ video and you can too.

Exceptionally chilling, there’s no red lycra in sight with this high-fashion She-Devil look.

Last Minute Shocker

Haven’t got time for a full get-up? That’s what makeup is for! Turn your look from pretty to pretty terrifying in five minutes.

The Undead look is petrifyingly easy to achieve if you can grab hold of some spooky white eye contacts.

Don’t want to frighten the kids? Be a cute cat! Red lipstick, black kohl eyeliner and cat ear hairband is all that’s needed!

Lipstick is not all is seems. Throughout the ages it has been so much more than a blot of colour on a woman’s face. It has been a show of defiance, patriotism, sexuality, strength and rank throughout the century.

But how do you apply your lipstick to perfection? I’ve made a small guide to show you how.

Before we commence with application, we firstly need to make sure our lips are looking at their finest. If you have flakey lips, exfoliate them with a dry toothbrush by brushing lips lightly to remove any dead skin.

Next, cleanse skin, moisturise and apply your makeup as usual.

Step 1: Base. Apply a little foundation to you lips by pressing it into your lips with your fingertip. You can also add a very light touch of lip balm if your lipstick is matte or if your lips are a little dry, as this will help your lipstick to glide on later. If you do choose to use lip balm, press a little powder gently onto lips on top of your lip balm to form a base.

Step 2: Lip liner. Not always necessary, but I think for strong, pigmented colours it is a necessity to use a lip pencil to create clean lines and prevent bleeding. If you can find a lip pencil that matches your lipstick then that’s great! If not, use a lip liner that is the same colour as your lips. Before applying, decide if your lips are symmetrical. If they are, then good for you – all you have to do is follow the outline of your lips. However, if you have a bit of a wonky mouth like me, try to shape the outline of your lips so that they are symmetrical.

Step 3: Colour in! I divide my mouth into quarters and always start at the top. Take your time and stay between the lines – remember, you can’t rush art.

Step 4: Blot. Blot lips with tissue by folding a piece of tissue in half an inserting it between your lips and pressing down lightly with your mouth. Blotting prevents dreaded lipstick teeth and makes your colour last longer.

After reading Poppy King’s article “The Magic of Lipstick” in September’s UK Vogue, I was feeling rather inspired by her encapsulation of the tubed colours of beautified empowerment.

“Tiptoeing down the hall to [my mother’s] dressing table, I knew the lipstick would change what I saw in the mirror… I suddenly became a superhero.” – Poppy King

I completely relate to the surge of confidence I receive after putting on lipstick, and M.A.C. Cosmetics has always been my go-to brand of lipstick. I have gathered a bit of collection over the years, so I’ve narrowed them down to my six favourite shades for you.

Russian Red

An iconic classic, this is the exact shade of bluish-red that Madonna wore throughout her blonde ambition tour that refuses to budge if you apply correctly. May you need a more powerful weapon in your cosmetic ensemble?

MAC Russian Red Lipstick

Ravishing

Holiday all-rounder, peachy-coral lipstick that looks great with a tan and is wonderfully mositurising after a day at the beach with its Creamsheen finish.

MAC Ravishing Lipstick

Diva

Not for the faint-hearted, this deliciously dark reddish-burgundy comes in a Matte finish and is perfect for vamping up even the most romantic outfit.

MAC Diva Lipstick

See Sheer

This everyday sheen comes in a grapefruit pink that seems to go with everything, plus its Lustre finish gives it a moist appeal.

MAC See Sheer Lipstick

Lady Danger

The vivid and intense orange-red, which will lick your lips with its fiery flames.

MAC Lady Danger Lipstick

Girl About Town

The one I shouldn’t love, but this bright-blue fuchsia is as creamy as Prince playing at an 80’s disco. And, like all blue-tinted lipsticks, makes teeth look ultra-white.

MAC Girl About Town Lipstick

What’s your all-empowering shade? Time to share!

The Beginning

I started caking my face with make-up at the tender age of 10 when I found my auntie’s tube of concealer. I covered my entire face with its mattifying effect and instantly aged eight years. As a child always wishing to be older, I was obviously thrilled and proceeded to show the rest of my family. Needless to say, they were not impressed. Particularly my auntie Louisa, whose trusty stick of Maybelline magic had greatly depreciated from my enthusiastic endeavours.

I delved into the world of make-up application once again the year after. In my early years of high school there was a trend for wearing Elizabeth Arden’s compact foundation in ‘Honey Beige’ (who’s colour match would have only been an original Oompa Loompa), and to apply it you would dampen the sponge that came with the compact and apply the greasy concoction from there.

I had discovered another unfortunate look.

After that I remember trying a few other high-street foundations (Rimmel, Revlon, etc.) up until the age of 13, until eventually I gave up with it all together.

The Problem

I always felt that foundation created a mask that was unlike my own visage, smothering my personality. Plus, the thought of removing my make-up and my boyfriend’s reaction being: “who the hell are you?” was never a personal objective of mine. So I took a different route on my foundation journey, away from the liquid and solid variety, and went looking for a powder-based path.

The Solution

I found what I was looking for at eighteen years of age in MAC’s Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation. It’s affordable, blends in nice with my skin tone and lasts for 3-4 months. I apply it with the MAC 150 Large Powder Brush and top up throughout the day with the sponge that comes hidden in the foundation’s base.

MAC Studio Fix Plus Powder NW25, £21.50

Another Problem

As I have aged however, I have found that powder-only bases have begun to highlight my premature ageing. And yes, I am getting the dreaded ‘lines’ at the age of 23 and now have three age spots – and I’ll say to you what my mother tried to drill into me: DO NOT USE SUNBEDS, YOU WILL BE SORRY!

Equilibrium

I found a cosmetic solution to lines in the shape of No7’s Beautiful Skin BB Cream (Normal/Dry Skin). I apply this very thinly, as too of it much feels a bit greasy (I mositurise a lot too, it’s more likely a fault in me rather than the product), and then apply a little of my old favourite MAC Studio Fix to give myself a little extra coverage.

No7 BB Cream Beautiful Skin (Normal to Dry) £13.50

The Secret Weapon

Two months ago I was looking for something a bit special on the NARS website and came across their Light Reflecting Pressed Powder. I was dubious at first, but now can’t live without it. I use it as a ‘sealant’, if you like, to encase my face with its silken lightness.

This NARS product is honestly wonderful and worth every penny, especially after being in work for nine hours, travelling on the bus there and back, and on the way up to my apartment I catch a glimpse of my face in the lift* mirror, to be pleasantly surprised that my make-up is still on my face.

A cat has nine lives, there are nine rings of power in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, and there were nine planets in our solar system (sorry Pluto).

Now here’s nine beauty tips that you may or may not already know!

1. Vaseline is a Godsend. I know it has received bad press as of late due to the fact that it’s made out of petroleum jelly but there’s no denying that it keeps your lips smooth and flake-free. It’s also great for keeping your brows in place and if you dab a little on your eyebrows before plucking them it will ease the pain. Go Vaseline!

Vaseline Aloe Vera – my lip care go to!

2. Deodorant isn’t just for armpits. If you spray some to your shoes that are causing you cuts and blisters the deodorant will stop your shoes from rubbing (works especially well on ankle straps). This is because the deodorant acts as a barrier between the shoes and your skin, to stop those pesky shoes from rubbing your flesh off.

3. Seeing as we’re on the topic of shoes, do you own a pair with black (or white) scuffs on them? Nail varnish remover on a cotton wool pad will remove those pesky scuffs like magic. Works particularly well on patent leather (but do not try on suede! It will remove the colour too).

4. There’s no need to adjust your hair anymore, because now you know that you place hairgrips in THIS WAY!! Mind-blown.

5. If you lick a cotton wool bud (only a tiny lick, and no it’s not gross) you can use it to remove excess mascara. I also use a dry one to fix my eyebrows/eye shadow – basically any loose power that’s not where you want it to be – by quickly rolling it across the area.

6. Is your Kohl eyeliner down in the stumps? Put it in the fridge overnight and sharpen it in the morning – it will be a perfect point once more.

7. Want to know how to make your smokey eyes come alive? Apply a little peach-coloured eyeshadow or blusher on to the centre of your eyelids as the final touch to your smouldering peepers and it will give your eyes a cinematic quality. Think of it as a beam of light that forever lingers on your eyelids, a la Kristen Stewart.

8. Are you a Mickey blue eyes that’s been using blue eyeliner/shadow to “bring out the colour of your eyes”? Stop! Blue doesn’t bring out blue. Imagine a sapphire on a blue cushion – do you not think if it sat upon an bronze poof it would be more prominent?

9. A very basic tip to end on: Sudocream heals all. Get it on your cuts, burns and spots to lend your skin a healing hand overnight. You gotta love that thick, white nappy rash cream!

What’s your best-kept beauty tip? It’s time to share!

Imagine you’re walking along the Promenade des Anglais, with the Mediterranean sun scorching your bare limbs. Karlie Kloss, Adrian Lima and Karmen Pedaru march past you. Their skin glows with an unearthly radiance and you blurt out, “How is your skin so amazing?”

Karmen turns, looking startled for only a moment. She sees you’re a little star-struck (shut your damn mouth!) and she smiles, answering you with one, simple verb: cleanse.

Most supermodels swear by cleansing waters from French pharmacy brands, but unfortunately products by La Roché-Posay, Caudalîe and Rene Furterer Paris are hard to get ahold of in the UK. Not to mention they can be pretty pricey.

Anyway, I came across an article in what could have only been a Vogue or Elle that was about ‘Créaline TS H2O’ by Bioderma Laboratoire Dermatologique. I found and purchased it [checking Amazon purchase history] in June 2013 and I literally fell in love with the holy grail of cleansers after my first wipe.

Créaline TS H2O is scentless, clear and cheap. I squirt a little of the good stuff onto a cotton wool pad and cleanse my skin with it twice a day (morning and night) before I apply my moisturiser. It’s great for sensitive skin, which I can personally vouch for as I’ve suffered with eczema since I was a young teen and I’m allergic to bloody everything.

And you honestly wouldn’t believe after removing your make-up with a facewipe (I use Simple) and showering how much dirt you still have on your face – absolutely vile! Bioderma hides no secrets when it comes to cleaning your face.

I buy said French cleanser in ‘bulk’ from Amazon.co.uk – two 500ml bottles, plus shipping charge, comes to just under £30 and lasts me ALL YEAR. Not bad, eh? And I haven’t had a single spot or eczema patch since June 2013. Nice one.